What Does It Take To Be A Fashion Buyer?

If you are someone who loves fashion, you have probably thought about possibly developing a career in it. While there are many different outlets you can choose when it comes to careers in fashion, many have made a successful living being a fashion buyer, working closely with the retailers that showcase the latest fashion trends.

So what exactly is a fashion buyer? In order to be a fashion buyer you need to have a keen sense of the latest trends and the ones that will make an appearance in the upcoming season. You are a true follower of retailers and designers while you also have your own impeccable style. It is the fashion buyer’s responsibility to select the particular items that will be seen in retail stores, so they need to know what will be popular with the shoppers down the road.

Job Tasks of a Fashion Buyer

It is essential that a fashion buyer works closely with designers and their representatives along with attending many fashion-related events such as trade fairs and fashion shows. This will help them understand what is upcoming in the fashion world and will help them be able to pick the appropriate items for the stores that they are working with, which can be anything from department stores to small boutiques. It is very important for the buyer to really understand just who their shoppers are and what they want out of the store to deliver the right products.

Fashion Degrees for Fashion Buyers

Fashion buyer Nina Garcia.

If this sounds like something that interests you, it’s essential to understand what it takes to get into this profession. While fashion can be a tricky industry to break into and it is important to have the proper connections, it is still essential to have the right education to start with. A person interested in fashion buying should study for a bachelor’s degree in a similar field such as retail or marketing. However, it also might be beneficial to receive a fashion marketing degree as well. There are many schools online and off that can offer some classes, certifications, and associate degrees in fashion marketing with will give you the proper curriculum for your career choice.

Studying within this type of degree program will help you gain access into the world of fashion marketing with classes that relate specifically to what you will encounter while on the job. You’ll learn all about retail buying along with fashion design, publishing, and how to properly spot the latest trends. All of these things will help you when you start off in the industry as you’ll need to understand how to target your shoppers and audience with the right connections with everyone else within the industry, including publicists and fashion editors.

Gaining Experience as a Fashion Buyer

Once you have some knowledge of the industry thanks to your classes, it is ideal for you to gain some experience. Now, this doesn’t mean running out and trying to nab a fashion buyer career right away. You can start off with some retail experience as just a sales representative at a popular store. This will help benefit you since you’ll be able to see what is in style, how the shoppers react to it and even learn about properly pricing these items.

A successful fashion buyer not only needs education and experience, but also a positive attitude that is all about fashion. It is essential to not only be excited about what you do and what the fashion world has to offer its shoppers, but you need to be flexible since this job can require a good amount of traveling. You’ll need to work within your local retail market, but you’ll also have to travel to meet with designers and sales representatives all over the country, especially in New York, Paris, and Italy.

Job Salaries for a Fashion Buyer

Depending on where you are located and your placement — trainee, assistant, senior — will help you determine how much you will make for your salary. The average salary is normally within the $40,000 range but can start off at $30,000 and reach up to $100,000 or so. Normally in order to work your way up to a senior level position and bringing in a high income you’ll need to get higher education such as a master’s in a business-related field.